Fiorentina made Arsenal’s cruise into the last 16 of the Champions League a little more uncomfortable than they would have liked, but a Kim Little penalty and Vivianne Miedema goal either side of the break ensured a 2-0 win in north London.
Arsenal’s manager, Joe Montemurro, had played down any idea that a 4-0 away lead meant the result of the tie was a foregone conclusion, saying: “We need to play over 180 minutes and not just 90.” Though he did concede that the Gunners would “go to London with a bit less stress, can play more at ease”.
If they were relaxed it showed, and, by contrast, Fiorentina stepped out with the bit between their teeth. Unfazed by the bitter cold of Meadow Park, the women in purple harried and pressed Arsenal with a purpose that suggested they may have been fighting for more than just pride.
Arsenal’s passing was still slick, but more hurried than usual under the Italian pressure. The first chance, though, fell to the home side. Daniëlle van de Donk, who scored the 89th-minute winner for the Gunners against Manchester United in their last WSL outing, chipped the ball into the path of Little but, under pressure, the Arsenal captain fired her volley over the bar.
Fiorentina were animated, with Stephanie Breitner, Frederikke Thøgersen and Asia Guagni particularly bright on the right but they struggled to get the better of an excellent Katie McCabe. Fiorentina’s manager, Antonio Cincotta, embodied the liveliness of his players, running up and down his technical area, gesturing, yelling, clapping and almost distracting from the action on the pitch.
Just before the half hour mark Arsenal had the ball in the back of the net. Miedema, who perhaps should have shot first time, cut inside and fed Beth Mead who worked it in from a tight angle but the lineswoman’s flag was up. The Gunners looked like they would make the breakthrough when Little spun on the edge of the box and slipped through to an unmarked Miedema in the middle but the striker fired, uncharacteristically, wildly over.
On the stroke of half-time they had the lead, the referee pointing to the spot after a handball and Little stepped up to power into the bottom right-hand corner of Francesca Durante’s goal. It crushed the hard-working Italian side’s hopes and the second half lacked the same fight. In the 73rd minute Arsenal’s patience told when Miedema picked up a scrappy clearance and looped it over Durante, who got a hand to it but could not push it over. Ultimately they were outclassed, and left ruing a system that saw them draw unseeded English champions Arsenal in the first round. Arsenal, though, have passed their first Champions League test in five and a half years.